Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
least May 2005 when a directive on new procedure codes was issued phasing
out agency and jurisdiction specific codes with the use of standard language.
Plain language initiatives in emergency preparedness are being realized at
the international, national, and local levels. FEMA (2005), for example, states
that plain language must be used with interoperable communication systems
(enabling fire, police, EMS/medical to collaborate and communicate) replac-
ing the use of 10 codes (Table 7.1).
Each speech act type is introduced (Table 7.2) through a prompt that
requests an SMS text message response, allowing for the assessment of
each speech act type based on the communication responses for the speci-
fied prompt. Each Speech Act Type can be categorized for the crisis inci-
dent coordinator, improving timeliness to respond. For example, if the
role-based agent intercepts a response that has been identified as “ask for,”
branching could occur to only notify the coordinator when a long lapse of
time and no “ask for” response has been received (Table 7.3). This would
reduce the management of messages received by the coordinator allowing
them to focus on messages of higher urgency. An algorithm accessing a
list of word choices for illocutionary speech act type can be developed and
associated with the most common word choices and word placement in a
sentence as displayed in Task Response 2 (Table 7.3) denotes the use of the
word “need directions” by study participants 1, 2, and 3. Study participant
4 uses the word “cannot locate,” which is not indicative that help is needed
(“ask for” speech act type). You will also note that participant 3 replies with
“need directions,” but the request does not contain any content that could
be used by the crisis incident coordinator. For example, there was no loca-
tion to allow the coordinator to assist the community responder.
The use and practice of plain language is also proposed to bring the use
of words, such as “proceeding” and “arrived” closer together by reducing
the vocabulary used by responders. The current field study takes a base-
line measure and then introduces plain language training that parallels each
Table 7.1
Role-Specific Terminology
Terminology for crisis response roles
Type
Essential rule definition
Police
Police 10 codes
Fire
Fire 10 codes
EMS/medical
Medical terminology
Disaster relief
Humanitarian-specific
terminology
Specialty teams
Specialty-/task-specific
terminology
Community responder
(volunteer)
Organization-specific
terminology
